Wow...it's finally here! Part Two.

Thank you so much for your patience for the next part. Finally go it finished and now its up!

Part Two is a lot different from Part One. Part One had a huge exploration of Yuri and Amelia's relationship, which actually got on my nerves at the end of it, so I'm just going to say I hope you enjoy Part Two. It has a huge plot twist that sets the background for the rest of this part.

I could something crashing underneath us, but all can see was red. Lots of red. On my hands, on my clothes, on his lips. Then I see apples around us. Everything looks so blurry it hurts to see. I open his shirt and see angry flesh. The wound was huge and luckily didn't get his heart, but his lung was cut. More blood started coming from his mouth.

"Ames-" he said grabbing my arm.

"Keep quiet! Just keep quiet!" I yell. I started panicking and looking around. "Estelle-"

I see an unconscious Estelle next to Flynn. She has a head injury...of all times.

We were in a dessert cart back in the Capital, with no Estelle.

Yuri was beginning to choke on his blood.

"Someone help!" I screamed. I take off my shirt and start pressing it on the wound to try and stop the bleeding. The First Aid spell was fleeing my mind every time I tried to reach for it. Flynn looked dumbfounded. "Flynn, do something!" I yell at him. I knew we were causing a scene, but today wasn't the day for pleasantries.I touch Yuri's face. He looked half awake.

"Look at me, okay?" I cry. "You're gonna be okay, alright? Just keep looking at me."

I keep watching his chest try and get a decent breath out. I'm trying my hardest not to get too hysterical. I see a seal underneath us and soon I start seeing it close. I start to smile. Yuri's eyes close and he smiles.

"Took you...long..enough." he said. I look at my love's face and and see his easy smile. His chest heaves hard once more and a sense of euphoria comes over me and Flynn. I grit my teeth and bury my face in his chest.

Silence.

No.

Part Two: Divergence

-12 months and 2 weeks later...

I put my hair up into a ponytail as I get out of bed again. My turquoise eyes stare back into the mirror. I was in creme, a pale cream nightgown and I begin to fret. My heart feels tight as I think of the day. It was painful, but blissful. I began to put on my earrings and start on my makeup.

The new maids walked in to see me finally after 2 months of training.

"Yes, Mercy? Yes Alanor?" I say. They were in their early 20's as well, and had a strange pep in their step. They curtsied.

"Today is the day, milady. Your dress had come in and everything." said Mercy. She had large glasses and a long yellow french braid.

"It's your first day as Grandmaster, milady!" chirped. Alanor who had deep blue hair in a low ponytail. Both of them were in classic black and white maid uniforms. "The paperwork has been filed, and you are now the leader of the Imperial Knights!"

I still feel weak.

"The ceremony is today!" Mercy said setting down my dress on my bed. "Both of them."

I smile. That's right. Today is the day the whole Empire has been waiting for. Commandant Flynn and Empress Estelle, were due to be married today. I sharp pang shot through me. I wanted to double over.

"Milady!" said Mercy grabbing a tissue. She walks up to me, and I barely realize that tears were running down my face. I chill comes over me.

"Please leave. I'll take care of myself for today." I say breathlessly. The maids soon leave and I sit in a chair, covering my face with my hands. I can't even think right now, because I still feel him. His blastia sits on my vanity and his clothes remain pressed and in his room, untouched.

I hear a knock and wipe my face. What pains me is not that he was gone. It was the guilt behind why he was still here.

"Are going to be alright for the ceremony?" he asked me. "I know it's difficult, especially today."

He was right. Today was really difficult. Exactly a year ago, everything returned to normal. But inside I was still a mess when everything seemed okay.

"I'm sorry." I say. I wipe under my eyes. "It's your big day. I shouldn't be crying."

It was selfishness that gave him life again. So I couldn't cry because of him no longer having a real heart, but a blastia instead. Just like my father.

"Where's my dress?! My necklace?" Estelle squealed as she ran around her large bedroom in the castle. She was in her corset and bloomers, searching frantically. "None of my maids are here!"

It was official. Estelle was going crazy bells, because today the 19 almost 20 year old was about to walk on the most looked at aisle in all of Zaphias. It was 2 hours before the my coming out ceremony and she was still in bride syndrome. She had picked 4 different wedding dresses because she couldn't choose which one looked prettiest after I told her that the one that was an empire waist with no sleeves made her look gorgeous.

Wow I feel bad for Flynn. He had to endure 9 cake tastings, 5 food tastings, 3 fittings, about 500 venue options, sit through two rehearsals and be grilled to the core about everything about their relationship by reporters.

I know Flynn is a nice guy and sometimes that gets annoying, but I really feel sorry for him. The poor man has endured so much in the past year, from his bride loopy soon to be wife, to me and begin oddly emotional for the past 2 weeks, to his friend's revival 2 days after he died. Still smiling though.

My stomach growls. Estelle pulled out a red number out her closet that'd look very cute on her. She shoves it back in. I sit in one of the chairs near her bed.

"Estelle," I say. Estelle whips back around to me. "Calm down." I try to reassure her. "Today's a big day for you."

Estelle let out a deep breath. "I know. I'm about to be married in 7 hours, Amelia." Estelle said. "To Flynn no less." She smiled and took out a pale blue dress. It exposed her back and opened to a beautiful bell shape after the end of the bodice. She quickly put on her gloves having a smile on her face was ear to ear. "Amelia?"

"Hmm?" I wonder what she's about to ask now.

"You think that I'm making a good decision about this?" she asked me, looking worried. I turn my head a bit and knit my eyebrows. I never knew Estelle to be one to have cold feet, I mean after all, her and Flynn, despite their age difference were the storybook couple, the kind that little girls are always told about by their mothers and believe until their twelve and actually begin to see boys as they are: weird. The princess and her knight.

Today was the last page of it, the happy ending where the two kiss and live happily ever after.

"Why do you ask that? You two are perfect for each other." I reassure her. Estelle soon plucks a long white coat from her closet, for it was below freezing out. She begins to button it.

"It just feels surreal, you know?" Estelle replied. "Like everything this year. Everything was surreal. We returned, Yuri dies, then comes back after being outfitted with your blastia, and then we exposed Alexei's crimes and Sodia's attempted murder, and then pop! Everything had been at peace for 10 months straight."

"Seems like the whole experience grew on you." I reply. She had every reason to be worried about her special day. It wasn't everyday that it was just this peaceful. Even I was worried. It was so peaceful after everything. And it was.

After the whole ordeal, I was by Yuri's side in my new home, watching him recover day by day, while trying to get all the documents ready and signed for new recruits and new operations and missions to be sent out to the Knights and the Commandant. I was yet to receive my title, so when I signed my name on each of them, I wrote Acting Grandmaster after it.

Then came the wedding plans because this roving Reporter overheard Flynn talking to Estelle about plans about two months after the ordeal. Since then it's been a media frenzy in both the guilds(Raven sent me a letter) and the Empire. People have been asking about their plans, their cake, their honeymoon, their plans for kids (I'm not even joking about kids. The girl is about to 20 for goodness sake. Give her another 3 years then start asking) where they're going to live, how this is going to work, what her dress going to look like, the theme, the maid of honor, etc.

"Yeah. But I wished you guys would've gone with us to the venue." she chirped. "It'd be a great place for you to get married, you know."

Luckily, I wasn't about to say anything about Yuri and I's relationship, because he was beginning to start thinking about the same thing, until I told him the hitch about getting married to the Grandmaster.

-Minor Government Lesson- The position of Grandmaster was put in place to ensure no corruption by the Council when the Empire began centuries ago when the Knights came to be. It is purely matrilineal, so my mother, although not the Grandmaster due to her illness, carries the authority of maintaining the line. And maintaining the line had to be quick. Very quick. And I quote from the the law book: "If the Grandmaster is due to marry someone else they have to 1) be of the Empire and a knight of Captain rank or higher or of noble birth or have noble birth somewhere up to the third generation prior to his or hers 2) must be upstanding to the Sacred Code, even through dire times where the laws my warped to favor the blessed and 3) must have an heir within 14 months of their wedding date."

Yeah, I don't feel like getting pregnant yet. Not for another 3 years at least. So we're holding off on the official marriage stuff until we're old enough to be thinking about kids. And Yuri got this look on his face when I told him about the pregnancy rule. He said: "I love you, but I don't want to be thrown in the stockade over pickles and ice cream."

Blastia heart or not, Yuri was still the same.

Yuri groaned loudly in Flynn's room reclining on the chair. "For the last time, it's okay." he said, now annoyed. Flynn was drying off his hair and pursed his lips. He didn't appreciate Yuri being so lax about the whole thing. Flynn was nervous as hell about today. He was about to marry the Empress after all and it was driving him crazy a bit on the inside. "Just go with it."

"This is not some food you make at the inn, Yuri. This is marriage." Flynn said. "Can you at least take this seriously?"

"I am being serious. You seriously need to relax, Flynn." Yuri said. "You're killing my mood here."

"Trust me the feeling's mutual. How come you aren't even thinking about this stuff with Amelia?" Flynn said, shaking his blond locks out. Yuri sighed loudly and ran a hand through his bangs. "It's been almost 4 years."

"Well, sorry, we're just not doing it yet." Yuri replied.

"Why not?" Flynn said. He sighed as he started to pull on his white dress shirt. He turned away from the mirror and stared at Yuri. "Forget it. I'll just yell at you again."

"Go ahead and say it. You'll get grays holding in all the negative energy." Yuri said. He started messing with his braid and flipping it around as he laid on the couch.

"At some point, Yuri, you have to stop being like this." Flynn said. He finished buttoning up his shirt and reached for his jacket. "Ames has done all types of things for you and you still aren't serious about her."

"Argh, this again?" Yuri began.

"It's time you stop acting like you're on your own anymore." Flynn said. Yuri looked at his face and noticed a bit of blush. "Amelia deserves better than that. She's worked hard all her life to get where she is. Everything she owns is hers and by her own methods. She doesn't need you to be-" He rolled his eyes. "Never mind."

Yuri knitted his eyebrows. He sat up and put his hands behind his head. He stared at the ground.

"You still aren't over her," Yuri replied simply. Flynn turned around.

"What?" Flynn spat. "I'm about to marry Estellise!"

"Yeah, but you still haven't settled things with Ames. Have you?" Yuri said with a deadpan face. There was silence. Flynn's face contorted into a face of anger.

"No need to keep it under wraps." Yuri replied. "Better to admit it now."

"I love Estelle!" Flynn objected.

"I'm not saying your not in love with Estelle." Yuri said. He looked at the ceiling and back at Flynn. "I'm saying you still have things to resolve with Amelia. That's the only reason you're so uptight about her."

"I don't-have anything else to say to her." Flynn replied, beginning with a yell and ending with his regular voice. "She just, needs to be treated better."

"I do treat her better." Yuri said. He sighed. "It's not like I don't want to marry her. I just can't marry her right now."

"And why is that?"

Yuri sighed and laughed. "It's this clause in the Imperial Law Book. If I marry her now, then she'll have to be pregnant within 5 months."

Flynn looked at Yuri and shrugged. "And what's wrong with that?" he said. Yuri swallowed and his eyes widened, trying not to recoil.

"What?" Yuri said. Flynn looked at the mirror and started putting his pants on.

"What's wrong with that?" Flynn said. "Estelle's mother was 19 when she had her. My mother was 22 when she had me."

Yuri chuckled. "Wait let me get this straight. You just chewed me out over not wanting to being serious about Ames, and then you're saying it's okay to marry her, despite the clause?"

Flynn buttoned his pants. He looked at Yuri's reflection in the mirror. "Maybe you need a little fire under your ass to mature a bit." he said. "You can't afford to be reckless with children."

Flynn and Yuri were fighting once again. I stand in front of the door. Estelle had already left because she didn't want Flynn to see her. She squealed that it was bad luck. I heard everything and decided not to say anything.

Then again-

I knock on the door.

"I'm coming in you guys." I say before opening the door. Sweetly I ask, already knowing the answer. "Everything okay in here?"

They both look at me.

"Sure." Yuri said with an undertone of frustration.

"Fine." Flynn replied with the same undertone.

I sigh. "I know things are tough today, but please go one day without trying to kill each other." I begin. "Talk, kiss, make-up, whatever, but we have to leave in like 5 minutes."

I soon close the door.

The ceremony was huge. The stage I had to walk on had every official and their mother on there (not literally though). And I soon see a podium. It was white and trimmed with blue. I begin to walk in a dress that is so long at the bottom that I have to pick it up as I walk and hope that it didn't catch on something. It was sleeveless, which in this weather was the best idea ever for a dress design. I wear my hair down and look at my papers.

All the new recruits, captains and their higher-ups were standing in front of me. They all had hopeful eyes as I clear my throat and try to adjust the speaking device so everyone can hear me.

"Good morning everyone." I say. I look down at my speech. It was colorful to say the least. "It's a bit chilly out here, huh?" I say grabbing the podium with my gloved hands. Time to get started. "I want to start with this. I wasn't elected for this, I wasn't asking for this, but I knew I had to do this job. It came a bit early, unfortunately."

My mouth feels dry. I moisten my lips. I sigh. It may be 17 degrees out, but I feel like I'm on fire.

"But that doesn't change why I wanted to do this. Everyone here knows of the Sacred Code." I continue. "I don't have to explain it to all of you. But I can tell you, for quite some time I thought everyone followed it. But last year I was proven wrong. Very wrong, and it almost ended up costing my fiance his life."

I see Yuri standing in the crowd giving me a thumbs-up. I smile.

"There's a reason why the Sacred Code is there. It is there to ensure that everyone is protected. No matter who they are and where they come from. Because let's face it, we were this close to having a military coup because someone decided that his own needs superseded the needs of that little boy, or the woman running the inn, or the noble young man who just lost her mother and brother, her friends and her sister but still wakes up every day to work to keep the bakery alive."

I swallow. This was nervewracking.

"I'm sick of the age of dog-eat-dog. We're a unit and under me we will maintain the very code that made the Empire what it is today!" I say. "Here I see that many of of us have seen the Great War, fought in the War, hell, I was born into the war. The year before it began. I grew up in Mantaic until I was 14 with my aunt to escape it because some of the enemy wanted me dead."

I was pretty sure I was rambling, but I knew i had a point to get across. Always did.

"Then when we were at our worst we were together, but then all of a sudden when the war is over, my father's two best friends began to hate each other. One of them kills the other in order to gain the position of commandant. The Council stopped caring for the people they'd bend over backwards for to protect, the Knights start to become more separated than as one unit. Let's not wait for the going to get rough to be accountable for others. As the Empire we should be accountable for everyone at all times. Everyday, because you don't know...that same person that you take the time out to talk to, might the person that'll end up saving your life." I continue through the silence.

I pang of discomfort comes over me.

"I know I'm young. I'm half the age of at least half of you, but I've had enough experience to live two lives. I've seen death, I almost died doing the right thing myself, I've lived in all parts of the Capital, outside the Capital, and heck even just outside." I finally say. "Look around you. We aren't just the Empire anymore. We're brethren fighting for the same cause that our ancestors fought. Life, Love and Prosperity for all."

"As your new Grandmaster, I ask of each and every one of you that know matter where you are, remember this is the reason you became a member of the Imperial Knights."

A rousing clap came and I sneezed.

"Thank you. You may now start to head inside for refreshments." I say.

I seriously need to get out of the cold. I start to cough a bit and when I open my eyes I look in one of the trees on either side of the park and see a man with a winter coat on. One of the sleeves are flapping as he walks and he sits down next to one of them. He waves at me and I try not to look like I'm too distracted.

Having these eyes had perks, but then again, sometimes it was downright odd. I watched him sip his tea with the one hand he had. He looked past me and I noticed he was looking behind me.

Zagi, what the hell are you doing here? What happened to your arm?

I heard hacking and coughing from behind me. I turn around and notice the Knights beginning to disperse. Which was great, except on of the Councilmen stood up. I walk toward him.

"Sir, are you okay?" I ask. He nodded and then I see blood on his hand. A little bit, probably from being sick for a while. But Councilman Ragou was always sick. More than likely because of the sickness he contracts being around the many different people in Capua Nor. I escort him off the stage and hopefully to room so he can rest with my maids' care.

I look again and don't see Zagi, something that makes me very nervous.

Weddings are pretty stressful. Especially if you're the maid of honor. I'm in small room next to castle's ballroom pinning on Estelle's veil. She sat in her chair, her face full of blush and clutching the dress that fell over her knees. I saw people all walks of life walking up to the backyard. Estelle gripped it harder.

"Anymore and you'll rip the dress." I say meaning to be playful, but Estelle looked very worried. "Okay so, maybe that wasn't the best thing, but think about it." I clutch her shoulders and look at her face in the mirror. "You're about to marry the guy you love. No title, no royalty, nothing can change that. You just love him, and I know you're happy with him."

Estelle touched my hands. She smiled. "I do." she whispered, getting teary-eyed.

I smiled at her and hugged her from behind.

"Don't cry." I finally whisper in your ear. "It's bad luck, dontcha know?"

She starts to laugh and tears start running down her face.

It was silent in the other bedroom. Yuri's hairtie slid out of his hair and his braid started to become undone. He sighed, looking at Flynn. He pursed his lips.

"Hey, Flynn." he said. Flynn was quiet. "About earlier..."

Flynn closed his eyes. "I shouldn't have said what I said about the children. It was out of line. I'm sorry." he said. "You just frustrate me a lot Yuri."

"I know." Yuri replied. Flynn stopped tying his tie and looked at Yuri. "

"Well, I'll be." he replied raising his eyebrows. Yuri sighed. Flynn was more amazed that Yuri didn't quickly object like he always did when he was being called out on things.

"I do need to be better to her." Yuri started. He started to put on his cufflinks. He made a few clicking noises. "I never really even proposed to her, like I should have Never got the chance to truly do it until a couple days ago because I've been out in Yumanju for about 8 months and now I'm home and well-"

Flynn knitted his eyebrows.

"No one knows we're engaged, and I know she doesn't like it. I don't what to do with her." Yuri continued, his gaze half open. "I wish things were easier, like with you and Estelle."

The room became quiet once more. Flynn sighed and then chuckled. Yuri didn't understand. He hated to admit it, but he envied Flynn. With many subjects, including his relationship. It was smooth sailing, no fighting, no brushes with the law, and certainly, never staring death in the face.

"What?" Yuri asked. He wasn't an expert but Flynn and Estelle's relationship was just shy of being perfect. The only thing that made it imperfect was the fact they were three years apart in age.

"We're really alike after all, Yuri." Flynn said. Yuri blushed profusely.

"Sh-shut up!" Yuri said.

"The great Captain Yuri Lowell, renegade of the people and fierce fighter has been brought down by a pretty girl." Flynn said with a grin. "No need to hide it."

"Just get dressed, dammit." Yuri grumbled, his face still red.

The sky was a pale gray and covered with clouds as snow began to fall. Everyone had umbrellas to fend off the snow and were bundled up with so many furs and coats they may have been called mobile hampers. They stood eagerly waiting for the ceremony to begin.

"Whoa, there a ton of them." Yuri said nervously looking at all the guests. The backyard of the castle was massive, and seeing at least 300 or so people out in the back. And there were more to come to the reception. They were a mixed bunch, from the nobles to those of the Lower Quarter like Estha, the lady who ran the inn. He watched the snow come down stood, in front of the doors, knowing that when they'd open there'd be a moment he'd swear he'd have frostbite. He felt a pull at his hair in the back and jumped.

"My dear sir, I apologize." said one of Estelle's maids. She stood behind him and tied up the ends of his hair with a rubber tie so it'd stay in place. "Your hair was coming down."

Yuri didn't say anything to her. He heard a group of rapid steps from behind him. The other bridesmaids and groomsmen started to come. They were having their own little conversations and Yuri only knew one of them: Ioder. He was a candidate of the throne was practically a shoe-in, until Estelle stepped in. He was small and had blond hair and smile on his face.

"It's about to start everyone!" he said in his nervous, but well-mannered way. He acted like he was about to explode from excitement. When the maid was finished she left and started for the kitchen. Yuri turned around.

"Ease off the excitement, Ioder. Don't want you to explode." he said. He couldn't blame the guy for being excited to see his friend get married.

"Oh, don't worry. The other groomsmen had to already pull him off the ceiling whne I came in." said Amelia giggling. "It's a great day for them. I can't wait to see the look on Flynn's face when he sees Estelle."

Her eyes softened. Yuri looked at her. She looked great as usual, with her new eyes and was in a deep navy blue dress with a same-colored shawl. It was a trumpet style dress and gave her curves in place she thought she had none in. He swallowed after seeing her eyelashes. They were the same fiery red. Her hair was up in an intricate up do that was secured with so many bobby pins, it had to hurt. Her gloves were white and made of lace.

When she caught his glance, his face was on fire and he blushed. Amelia gave him a look of concern and laughter. It was soft like her. He didn't know if it was the fact today they were at a wedding, but she looked more beautiful than usual.

And a sharp knife of guilt punctured his chest. But now wasn't the time for him to go pouring out anything, 1) because it wasn't his day, 2) he knew right now he just couldn't say it out the fact he felt his stomach in knots, and 3) even if he had the chance, he'd have no idea what to say without blurting it out like his confession.

He wanted to say everything and nothing all at once. and although Amelia liked mushy things, she still wouldn't let him live it down that he totally gushed around her.

"I can't wait to try the cake." Yuri said, shrugging. Amelia looked back at Ioder.

"They had to get it rather quickly." Amelia said. "Part of it is Flynn's favorite and part of it is Estelle's. The whole idea was very cute really. They decided to keep it very traditional."

Ioder was eating her words up.

"That's them for you." Ioder said. "He always liked the simpler things."

Yuri couldn't help but feel a slight sense of being insulted.

"Councilmen Ragou, are you alright?" asked Mercy. She walked into a bedroom and noticed a man with black hair next the Councilman.

It was back at Amelia's home and Mercy held a tray of tea and sandwiches with a cup of honey and small bowl of sugar next to the kettle. She held still and locked eyes with the strange man. He was in a winter coat with one of the sleeves sewn shut. His hair was wild in the back, kept in a ponytail and straightened in the front. She could tell that he was a commoner and he noticed a bit of stiffness in his other arm as he moved it.

"Are you a friend of Councilman Ragou's, sir?" Mercy asked, smiling weakly.

"Please don't call me sir. I'm a friend of the Grandmaster. Zagi Elphonse."

Mercy curtseyed slowly, keeping her eyes trained on him. Zagi chuckled.

"I'm actually here on business for her Excellency. I need to warn her about something important." Zagi explained looking concerned. "Something has happened in Ghasforost."

"I'm pretty sure I can tell her if you gave me the message sir." Mercy implored. She gripped the tray tightly. Zagi raised his eyebrows. He sighed.

"I don't think you'd be able to understand, my dear lady." Zagi said. He walked up to her and she took a step back. He let out a nervous laugh. "I'm sorry, Her Excellency doesn't speak of me much, and I can see you're scared." He touched the tray and lifted the plate revealing a set of stiletto blades. Mercy looked at him wide-eyed.

"I knew she'd wouldn't hire regular maids." Zagi said, before setting it back down. "But I assure you, I mean no harm to the her or the Councilman."

"Then explain your business and leave." she said tartly, pulling the tray away. Zagi made a couple of clicking noises and dug in his pockets. "I'll go tell her. She's at a wedding right now."

Zagi pulled out a ring and small box with a letter.

"Tell her that Duke Panterei wishes to speak with her immediately." he said. Zagi looked uneasy and Mercy squinted her eyes. "It's a matter of urgency."

"Duke Panterei is dead." she said. "He's been dead for 11 years."

Zagi sucked his teeth. He sighed loudly. "There's something he discovered about the aer and blastia that needs her attention."

Mercy kept her gaze at him and didn't let up. Zagi slumped his shoulders. The last thing he wanted to deal with was a wary maid right now. He put the things back in his pocket.

"You know, I'll take care of it myself." he said. He was about to turn around when he poured himself a bit of tea. He took the cup and gulped the whole thing down and set it on the tray. "You handle the cleanup."

"Cleanup?" Mercy said. Zagi wiped his mouth and soon left. Mercy stood there dumbfounded and set down the tray. She walked up to Ragou and screamed. He had a cut across his throat and it soaked the sheets.

"We are gathered here today to join together this man and woman in holy matrimony," said the minister. There was something hilarious about watching Flynn actually beaming at someone. I knew he was always like 'Team Good, Awesome and Happiness!' but I never saw it on his face. He kept looking at Estelle who I knew was trying not to cry under her veil and tightly clutching her bouquet.

"Marriage is the union of husband and wife in heart, body and mind. It is intended for their mutual joy – and for the help and comfort given on another in prosperity and adversity." The minister continued. "Through marriage, Flynn Finath Scifo and Estellise Sidos Heurassein make a commitment together to face their disappointments – embrace their dreams – realize their hopes – and accept each other's failures. Flynn and Estellise will promise one another to aspire to these ideals throughout their lives together – through mutual understanding – openness – and sensitivity to each other."

I can't help but smile as I look at them. I look at the crowd and see Flynn's mother with a smile on her face like no other. She was beaming and forclamped, wiping her tears away. I couldn't blame her. She cried when he became Commandant, and she certainly is about to cry now. Hell, it looked like everyone was about to cry and cheer from their seats.

I was about to cry. I remember seeing them oogle at each other when she was 12 and he was 15, and it was obvious that they liked each other, despite of all the 'cradle-robbing' jokes that Yuri and I bombarded on them for the sake of fun.

They were meant to be and look near the entryway and see him again.

Zagi.

What the hell was he doing here?!

I tried to smile it off, but this was the second time that has been around. And him being around was a bad sign. He was walking time-bomb with a loose red wire. didn't know what would happen or when he'd go off. He was dangerous and I couldn't move from my spot to give him a swift kick to the mouth and out the castle. It dawned on me about something else: How did he even get into the castle in the first place?! The place was loaded with enough guards to protect the entire city almost.

Trained assassin. Duh.

He soon disappeared from site after seeing me. I couldn't help but want to beat the crap out of him for almost killing me. But there was something different in his eyes. Very different. They weren't wild with insanity, they were wild with fear.

I felt a burning sensation on my back.

"Do you Flynn Finath Scifo take to be your wife Estellise Sidos Heurassein in the holy estate of matrimony?" The Minister continued. I tried to keep my eyes from being too trained on the door, but I was ready if anything were to happen. I felt the garter wrapped around my leg and cold touch of the bodhi core that came with it. "Will you love her, comfort her, obey her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon her your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto her as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." Flynn said with a simple nod. How very knightly of you.

"Do you Estellise Sidos Heurassein take Flynn Finath Scifo to be your husband in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, obey him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, for richer, for poorer, for better, for worse, in sadness and in joy, to cherish and continually bestow upon him your heart's deepest devotion, forsaking all others, keep yourself only unto him as long as you both shall live?

Estelle sniffed.

"I do." she said tightly. Flynn smiled.

As they exchanged rings I looked back at the door and next I see Raven running after Zagi, who now has a strange awkwardness in the way he walks. Something was up and I knew it. It was driving me crazy and look across the couple and at Yuri, who has this look on his face. I knew that face. He was uncomfortable and caught my gaze. He moistened his lips and blushed giving me a tight smile. He hadn't noticed the two dingbats, Psycho and Pops running around during the wedding perception. His mind was somewhere else, which once again I had a feeling where, but this wasn't the time for it.

"Flynn Finath Scifo, in placing this ring on finger, repeat after me: Estellise Sidos Heurassein , you are now consecrated to me as my wife from this day forward and I give you this ring as the pledge of my love and as the symbol of our unity and with this ring, I thee wed."

Estelle repeated after the minister. I closed my eyes. I can't be the only one who's about see something go down in the next five minutes.

"In as much as Flynn Finath Scifo and Estellise Sidos Heurassein have consented together in marriage before this company of friends and family and have pledged their faith – and declared their unity by giving and receiving a ring – are now joined." The minister said. Everyone was brimming and on the edge of excitement.

I was on the edge of opening a seal.

"And so, by the power vested in me by the Empire, I now pronounce you man and wife – and may your days be good and long upon the earth." The minister said. "You may now kiss the bride."

Flynn pulled the veil from Estelle's face and the look he had his face was just unreal. He didn't look Flynn happy, you know, like how he normally does and has awkwardness in it. He was 'I'm about to break down in front of 300 people, because I love this girl' happy. It was a bit disarming and they kissed, with him holding her face. The whole group roared and howled for the two, now Mr and Mrs. Flynn Scifo. They walked down from the chapel hand and hand and back inside the house which made me very nervous. We kept the procession and I walked next to Yuri. He took my hand

"Prepare yourself." I say. We walk into the warm room. It was quiet and calm. Flynn and Estelle trotted down the hall, mostly Estelle pulling Flynn. The coast looked clear and we kept walking. I keep looking around and I wonder why Yuri can't notice that in just being weird. I pull him to the side as the other guests go into the reception.

"Yuri." I say looking at him. He looks at me. This is no time to feel something, you sarcastic bastard.

"Hmm?" He says.

"Zagi is here." I say to him and he snaps out of his trance. Thank goodness. I hike up my dress a bit and activate my new blastia. It glows and I start looking around. Yuri follows after me. But before we get out of the hallway he says to me:

"Amelia, we need to talk later." he said. He looked serious as we started to watch everyone walk into the ballroom.

"Hey, you guys look nice."

I whip around and see him. Zagi. He looks calm and Yuri stands beside me, ready to fight him if need be. Zagi digs in his pocket and pulls out a few things. A letter, a ring and small box. He hands them to me. Yuri keeps his eyes on Zagi as he continues to speak to me. Looking at him, I can see the guilt riddled across his face.

"I have no reason to even be here or even be in your presence, Amelia." he said bowing a bit. "But something came to importance from Duke."

"You're damn right. What the hell are you doing here?" Yuri snapped.

"Well, first to apologize to Amelia." Zagi said. "I was hired to find you and end you by Commandant Alexei in return for treatment."

I didn't know what to say. Yuri still wanted to knock him out for doing something like this. But I couldn'thold that hard of a grudge. After all, I knew him before he went crazy.

"Treatment?"

"I'll spare you the details, Your Excellency." he said to me.

"Cut the crap." I say. "I had to kill you for a reason. You can't keep keeping it a secret."

"As you can tell, I no longer have my arm. I have something called muscular sclerosis, MS for short. In essence its a disease that ultimately will cause my lungs and heart to stop working, because it eats at them." Zagi said. "I had to get my arm amputated because of the pain and the immobility, but Alexei offered to give me treatment in order to fix it to wear my muscles would be fine. I took it, and it caused me to go insane."

"If you ended me." I say. My nose hurts and my face was on fire.

"Yes." Zagi said. "I'm sor-"

Yuri walked up and punched him, send him to the floor. I grabbed Yuri around his chest. Zagi wiped his mouth and touched his nose noticing blood.

"Stop!" I yell. "He's not worth it."

"How dare you say sorry, after you almost killed her!" he burst out. "You didn't have to watch her almost choke to death!"

Zagi looked at the ground and dug in his other pocket. He pulled out a letter and a small velvet box. He handed it to Yuri, not looking at him.

"It's from Estha." he said. He slowly and awkwardly rose up. "Something from a woman named Nani."

I let go of Yuri and he snatches the stuff out of Zagi's hand. He put them in his pockets.

"I want you out of this house." Yuri growled. "Stay the hell from her."

"Much obliged." Zagi said. He bowed and started out of the house. I know this is crazy but-

"Zagi?" I say. I take my clutch and pull out some bills. I had them to him. "Here. Take it."

Zagi smiled. "I'm good." he said. "Where I'm going, there's a lot more where that came from."

I stand there, even more confused.

Zagi, what happened to you?

Before I could ask, Yuri takes my hand and takes me to the ballroom. I snatch it out and he looks at me.

"The hell was that?" I ask him. I'm 22 practically, I don't need some guy to be dragging everywhere like a child.

"How do you feel sorry for a guy like that?" he said. I sigh. I noticed Estelle starting to look for us. "He tried to kill you."

"Because," I begin. "You never judge someone by what they did. It's by what they do."

It was quiet that night in our bedroom. For the rest of the day Yuri and I didn't speak to one another. We were in the same room back at the house and I sat down reading the letter that Zagi gave me. Yuri was reading his and stabbing his fork into his second plate of pan fried noodles.

Amelia,

If you're reading this, then you must be still alive. I need for you to bring yourself to the Ruins.

Duke-

I apologize that I wasn't able to make it to your ceremony, Amelia. I had business with the Duce.

Duke?! I flip the letter over. I met him only once when I was 8. He looked like he belonged in a different world and as a knight he was unreal. He made a visit to Mantaic to visit my aunt and he was always so...different. And his voice didn't match his appearance at all. It was a baritone voice and very poetic.

But he was supposed to dead for years. He disappeared after the Great War ended. And I guess, he decided to make a return. Then the ring. It was intricate and beautiful. but was definitely used for fighting. It was a Sorcerer's Ring, which meant where I was going was fraught with monsters. The lastly the box. I sit the letter and slip the ring on my finger. I soon reach for the bow and opened it. Inside was a bunch of very fancy hairpins to tie my hair up with. They had hassles at the ends of them and they looked like they were sharp. I looked closer at them and saw a liquid inside of them.

They were sharp alright, but laced with poison. These weren't hairpins.

This were needles.

So where he wanted me to be was fraught with monsters that were probably murderous and would become violent when I was seen, so taking them down by needles in strategic places was a better course of action.

Thanks Duke.

"Hey," I hear Yuri say from the opposite side of the bed. Things have been so awkward since the whole thing with Zagi coming back during the wedding, which by the way was a smashing success. The cake, half simple plain cake and the other side was a raspberry and white chocolate creme cake. Both delicious. Estelle and Flynn had lovely and simple waltz for their first dance, barely being able to keep their eyes of one another. We made our toasts and some folks got a little sloppy.

And now me and my fiance were at home, barely speaking to one another, while those to, Mr and Mrs. Scifo are now in enjoying a ride to Yumanju for two months.

I didn't want to really talk to Yuri, because today he was just so off. And not himself.

"Yuri, don't." I say getting into bed. I really wanted to sleep and get this over with.

Yuri groaned. I had to say it, because to be honest I was too tired to talk around it.

"Flynn is right. You do need a fire under your ass, Yuri." I say, closing my eyes.

"I need a fire under my ass?" he said. "At least I get angry about certain things instead of giving charity who almost killed you-"

"To get better, Yuri." I say. "He was in a desperate situation. His family was poor and he was sick. He had to to work to take of them, and he needed the money."

"Doesn't excuse that he sold you out for Alexei. Doesn't that bother you?" Yuri returned.

"It does, but sometimes you can't just be mad at everyone who does something wrong." I say. "Have to learn that someday they'll learn, whether it's the day they die or not."

"And what about those who don't?" Yuri asked me.

"It's out of my jurisdiction." I reply. Yuri got out of bed. He turn on his night lamp and ran a hand through his hair.

"What happened to you, Ames?" he said. "A year ago, you would've jumped at the chance to find justice for everyone else."

Okay, now I'm pissed. I sit up.

"I still do!" I yell. I calm down. "Just, with him...I get where he's coming from."

Silence. Neither one of us wanted to fight anymore.

What the heck was Nani? I'm up reading the letter that Estha had for me from her. Estha, was the woman who ran the inn that I lived in, and quite frankly, was my mother. Not by blood, but because she did her best to raise me.

She said, that my father died in the War and my mother was killed one night after working there to help support me. I had no clue, who she was or what she even looked like, and Estha kept a tight lip about it.

But guessing by this letter, her name was Nani. It's old and yellowed and a bit frayed but thick with the amount of pages that she wrote. I sigh and began to read it.

Yuri,

If you're reading this, then I'm happy. You're alive and 23. Same age as me when I had you. I wish I was there to see you. And I wish I was there to see your grow up. I hope you were nice and made friends. And I hope that you're doing the right thing.

I also hope you're eating alright. I know that meat is expensive, but you still need to eat it.

Anyway, I'm writing this as a guide for you. I don't know who you've become, Yuri. Or what your interests are, but if you're anything like your father, then you like to fight. A little bit too much.

First and foremost, you're young. Even though you're in your 20's you're still young and think that the world is your playground. I want to be the first to tell you this, if someone hasn't already:

It isn't.

Yuri, there are people out here who want to find you. And end you.

What? I say it loudly and I see Amelia shift and bury her ears into the pillow. She wasn't having it tonight.

End me? Who wants to kill me?

You are my baby, and unfortunately, I'm not there to defend you. Don't worry. There isn't a prophecy involved with you. You're not a Child of the Full Moon, so don't freak out. But you are the son to first leader of the Soul Smiths, before it merged with the Union. They made a good deal with the Empire, by creating Dein Nomos, but has quite a bit of bad blood with them, by creating weapons and higher forms of technology that they aren't giving to the Empire, including a weather machine and other assorted items including the core spire in Ghasfarost.

I know this is old news now, but there's something that stumbled upon when I was out. A plan. A schedule, to be exact. The Soul Smiths had aligned with the Blood Alliance and the Union as of now, I presume. And as such they plan on making a full scale attack on the Empire. Not for any diplomatic reason, but to clean out some of those who are to tampering with a new project of theirs that involve reusing a now outdated and unauthorized blastia. Warp bodhi blastia.

Warp blastia are very hard to excavate, but have an excellent ability to utilize aer without altering the natural concentration of aer. One of them as small as a dime can power a whole house. With it, there can be a new era of blastia that can actually delay the return of the Cataclysm.

The Empire however, plan to use them as weapons, which when used, can be harmful to both the user and the aer concentration because most attacks that are compatible with the blastia use a lot of aer. And with such high levels of aer concentration, it can cause people to get sick or go insane, among other harmful things.

I don't understand what all this blastia stuff has to do with m-

They are going to find you and try to end you, because your dad, created Dein Nomos from the metal he excavated from Zaude, and instead of giving it to Don Whitehorse, he gave it to the Empire after the Great War.

I've done the best thing I could to keep you from being hunted after earlier. I changed your last name on your birth certificate from Celestial to Lowell.

I sighed and got out of bed.

It is in your best interest to go to Aspio and get some research done about these blastia. That and you need to find the Artuary. It's in the Grandmaster's house and it hold every arte ever known with the blastia that is used for it.

I want you to find it, tear out the parts that use the Warp blastia core and it's off shoots and burn them.

All of them.

Yuri, people will die if this begins. People will get sick and the Empire will do nothing for it. They'll keep playing their games until it's too late.

If you have made ties to the Empire. I want you to sever them. All of them. Immeadiately.

-Nani-

She didn't pull any punches about the Empire. She was apart of the guilds as well, so it went without saying that she hated the Empire. And reading history, this event hasn't happened yet.

I look at the other sheets. In it was a map, and another letter addressed to a man named Don Whitehorse.

I couldn't say no to my mother. And it explained a lot of things. It explained Garista, it explained where Amelia got her blastia from, and even though it was now inside of me, I couldn't shake a sick feeling of both pity and anger toward Amelia.

She wanted to be more than just a noble girl. But in the end, after all that training and all those nights studying, she still was nothing more that just the Empire's puppet. I looked at her sleep and walked over to my closet.

"You know, Nani was right about those things ya know?" Yuri almost jumped. He turned around and saw Raven.

"Old Man?" he said. Raven was in his pajamas and folded his arms.

"Why'd ya think that I'm not in the Empire anymore? Once I realized what they were really doin' after the Great War, I got out of the Knights." Raven said to me.

"Why didn't you say anything to Amelia?"

"She's too far gone." he said. "She's a great girl and she means well, but her direction of anger is misguided. She could never defy the Empire quite like you could. She has no hatred for the Empire like the rest o' us. She was raised in the Empire. She knows nothin' else."

"So she doesn't know what she's doing?"

"Nah, she's still a bit lost. She thinks she's shattered the viel of corruption in the Empire, but it runs deeper than that." Raven replied. He looked at me. "So you're gonna leave her here in the middle of the night?"

I stand there and look at her again. I swallow.

"She's sold herself for the Empire." I said.

"Are ya sure you wanna do that?" Raven asked me. "If ya do, she'll hate ya. And she'll hate ya for good. And whatcha gonna do about that blastia in your chest?"

I don't say anything.

"I'll figure something out." I say. Raven holds up a small bag with a red glow.

"Don't have to." the old man replied.

It was quiet the next morning and I smelled cinnamon rolls and crepes. I barely open my eyes and see a plate on my nightstand. I slowly get up and I half expect Yuri to grumble at the maids, but there was silence. I looked around and didn't see him in the room. Then I noticed the letter on the try with his scrawl on it.

I quickly open it and notice something very familiar about it.

It was a resignation form filled out by him, stating that he quit the Knights. My breathing quickens and I sigh. I get out of the bed and walk out.

I see Mercy and Alanor at my door. They both looked sad.

"Milady," they both sadly chirped. They handed me my original blastia back. My heart drops.

"There was nothing we could do. We're sorry." Mercy said.

"He insisted on having your father give him a new core." Alanor said.

"And then they just left." they said at the same time.

I stare at the both of them. I close my eyes. I felt my hands go numb and I give them Yuri's resignation letter.

"I'll file a report. Mercy, get Betty and Revelry. Alanor, prepare my horse. I have to go to the ruins." I say. "Inform Ioder of my absence and I will have a schedule of assignments made for him due to my absence."

"But Milady!" they both pleaded.

"I have business to make for the Empire. I'll be out for a while." I say.

I know why he left, and unfortunately, I hoped he had never known about my father's 'legacy'.

I originally didn't see this coming for the plot at all, but I thought it'd make for an excellent plot twist and bring about more action and draw a bit of light to the last part's covert mission.